This invention relates to an infusion package for a tea bag and the like in which beverage ingredients such as tea, coffee, soup, or the like are packaged within a porous bag for positioning in hot water or other liquid such that the contents and flavoring thereof may infuse into the liquid medium.
The most commonly used tea bags include a porous pouch or envelope in which tea is packaged and to which a string is connected which in turn terminates in a label or tag. The tag and string are used to manipulate the bag as by immersing it into a cup or pot of hot water or other infusion liquid and especially to withdraw the bag therefrom when the brew has reached the desired strength. Such bags with their attached strings and tags present an awkward packaging problem and make neatly disposing of the wet dripping bag difficult for the user. Also, it is sometimes necessary or desirable in achieving the desired brew strength to manipulate the porous bag as by squeezing the contents therefrom. Utilizing the tag or a spoon as a squeezing element for such task is awkward and can easily result in spills. Accordingly, many devices have been proposed to achieve better manipulation of the wet infusion bag to accomplish the above-indicated desired results. The following U.S. patents are instructive of the state of the art in this regard: U.S. Pat. No. 2,101,225 to Rambold; U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,606 to Reed; U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,934 to Trotman; U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,082 to Maloney; U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,671 to Young et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,860,989 to Geisinger; U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,397 to Irmscher; U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,729 to Grant; U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,978 to Major; U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,528 to O'Neill; U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,642 to Dobry; U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,118 to Rambold; U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,599 to Rambold;, U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,956 to Christie; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,810 to Dacal.
While such patents describe a number of acceptable packages and ones which particularly propose various solutions for handling hot and wet infusion bags, there remains a need for an infusion package structure which accomplishes further desirable features including some positive means for maintaining the package in a closed position and further for positioning the package on the cop or container walls in which infusion takes place in a more positive manner such that the original or alternate desired positioning thereof is to a greater extent maintained. Such positive closure feature not only makes the package more easily shipped and merchandised but also insures the package can be completely closed and maintained in such position after the infusion bag has been used this presenting a more completely closed and more easily manipulated disposal package.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by an infusion package for a tea tag and the like, comprising an outer cover of flexible and at least somewhat waterproof material sheet, said sheet including a main central panel having opposed side and top and bottom edges and a pair of adjacent side panels having inner and outer edges hingedly attached by means of said side panel inner edges to said central panel along the side edges thereof, said panels each having inner and outer surfaces, a porous bag containing beverage infusion material hingedly attached to said central panel at an upper portion thereof for positioning against and generally within the planar extent of the inner surface thereof when said package is in a closed storage position, said side panels adapted to swing to a partial overlapping position with respect to each other with their respective inner surfaces superposed with respect to the central panel inner surface in said close position, and means for holding said package in said closed position, said side panels adapted to swing outwardly from said central panel to an open use position wherein said package may be positioned on the outside surface of a cup with said infusion bag extending over the rim thereof and into said cup with at least portions of the inner surfaces of said side panels contacting the outer cup surface to support said package with respect thereto.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.